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Miami cross country competed in the Paul Short Run at Lehigh University

McKenzie Eason
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Miami cross country competed in the Paul Short Run at Lehigh University

This past weekend, ‘Canes Cross Country traveled to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to compete at Lehigh University’s Paul Short Run. 

The race was dedicated to Short, an avid cross country fan in the 1930’s and 1940’s during his time as a football player at Lehigh. Short was devoted to the school and returned after graduation to coach football, baseball, wrestling and lacrosse. Sadly, Short passed away in 1967, but his legacy lives on through the Paul Short Run and his induction to Lehigh’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000. 

This weekend, Miami competed against big cross country schools, such as Harvard, Pitt, Navy, and Penn. Saturday’s lineup consisted of the men’s 8k and the women’s 6k. Regarding the men’s 8k event, senior Cormac O’Brien ran the seventh-fastest time in school history, 25:03.05. Senior Daphnee Lavassas rolled in as the ‘Cane’s fastest women’s runner this weekend, after completing the 6k in 20:01.07, securing the 4th place spot. 

Overall, the men placed 61st in the 8k and the women placed 32nd across all divisions. In the Division 1 category, the women Hurricanes finished 30th out of 42 teams and the men’s team finished 40th out of 44 teams. The women scored 743 points and the men scored 1125 points. 

Despite the team’s standing, they look to improve as they will travel to Madison, Wisconsin to take on the Wisconsin Pre-Nationals on October 19. Wisconsin will be their last regular season meet before ACC championships on November 1 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Ward leads ‘Canes football all the way back in late night win 39-38 vs Cal

Zach Cohen
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Ward leads ‘Canes football all the way back in late night win 39-38 vs Cal

It was nearly 2:30 in the morning for all of the Miami Hurricanes fans watching on the East Coast as Miami, down six with less than two minutes left on the clock, was trying to complete a 25-point comeback. After being down 35-10 early in the third quarter, Miami now had the ball with under two minutes left deep in their own territory. 

On the first play of the drive, Miami quarterback Cam Ward hit Mr. Reliable himself, Xavier Restrepo, for a 77-yard reception. Then, sophomore wideout Isaiah Horton caught a five-yard pass but after the play, Horton got called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty which moved Miami back to Cal’s 25-yard line. 

California Memorial Stadium started to get loud, trying to rattle the Hurricanes as the seconds started winding down toward zero. What Cal fans found out is that nothing phases Ward and the ‘Canes.

Ward connected with running back Damien Martinez for a 22-yard pass to make it first and goal. At the Cal five yard line, Ward maneuvered through the pocket and hit an open Elijah Arroyo who went tumbling into the endzone for a Hurricanes touchdown. They would take a 39-38 lead and win the game on an Andres Borregales-made field goal.

Cristobal said after the game, “It’s the best example of resiliency, toughness, no quit mentality that I’ve ever been fortunate enough to be a part of.”

After some sloppy defensive play, in the first half, Miami found themselves down a staggering 25 points mid-way through the third quarter. At the time it seemed as if Cal was going to run away with a victory and turn California Memorial Stadium into a frenzy. 

Ward had just thrown an errant pass right into the hands of Cal defender Nohl Williams who ran it 40 yards to the end zone for a pick-six. Williams is the interceptions leader in college football, with five, which is one of the many reasons why Cal has a noteworthy defense.

One word to describe Cam Ward’s game after this play; resilient.

On a 75-yard drive late in the third quarter, Ward connected with 4 different receivers which included a 16-yard pass to Houston transfer wideout Sam Brown Jr to set up the Damien Martinez one-yard touchdown run. 

Another 75-yard touchdown drive came shortly after featuring a 21-yard reception for Xavier Restrepo who just moved up to 4th all-time in Miami Hurricanes receiving yards. Later down the field, Ward hit Horton for an 18-yard touchdown to make it a 38-25 game.

Restrepo, who ended the game with 163 receiving yards, said this in his postgame presser, “We went up to him [Cam Ward] and said we already know you are going to lead us to a come back”

With about four minutes left in the game, Ward rushed for a 24-yard touchdown to make it a one-score game, 38-32.Cam Ward ended the game with a 66 percent completion percentage throwing for 437 yards and two touchdowns.

“Cam is a dog man, ” Cristobal said. “But Credit to (Fernando) Mendoza, just a gutty, talented young man that played his heart out.”

Mendoza, Cal Quarterback and Miami native had quite the showing on national television. Throwing for 285 yards with two touchdown passes. Miami’s defense was horrendous for the majority of the game allowing 38 points in roughly the first 40 minutes of the game.

In the first quarter, Mendoza hit the tight end, Jack Endries, for a 57-yard touchdown. Later in first half, Mendoza flung the pigskin to Jayden Ott for a 66-yard house call that gave Cal a two score lead. It was clear throughout the game that Miami had its struggles on both sides of the ball.

Ward said to the media after the game, “It feels good [to win]. But you know we got a lot to clean up. I did not play my best ball, nobody played their best ball. We just can’t put ourselves in these situations to have to come back.”

Miami’s win vs the Golden Bears marks their first 6-0 start since 2017 and their third time accomplishing this in the past 20 seasons.

The Canes will use the upcoming bye week as an opportunity to not only get the whole squad healthy but also fundamentally improve as they look to make a second-half push to the ACC title game.

Miami volleyball gets back on their feet with a sweep at Virginia Tech

Max Diaz
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Miami volleyball gets back on their feet with a sweep at Virginia Tech

After their tremendous 9-2 start to the season, the Miami Hurricanes volleyball team hit a snag in the road with back to back losses against the Florida State Seminoles. First, a 3-2 loss in Tallahassee on September 25th and then they got swept 3-0 in Coral Gables just four days later on September 29th.

Luckily for the ‘Canes, they got back into the swing of things after heading up to Blacksburg on Friday, October 5th to sweep the Virginia Tech Hokies, 3-0. The final scores of the match were: 25-22, 25-16, 25-18. In total, the ‘Canes tallied 47 kills, 46 digs, four service aces, and six blocks. The ‘Canes’ top players of the match were their usual two showstoppers, Junior Flormarie Heredia Colon with 16 kills, nine digs, and one ace, as well as Sophomore Grace Lopez with 14 kills, nine digs, and two blocks.

The first set was the closest of the eventual three, with the ‘Canes only winning by three points. The ‘Canes started out the set well with a 3-0 that featured a kill by Sophomore Ava Carney. The set got tight later when it was tied 8-all. Miami had good separation later, leading 20-14 after a kill by Junior Dalia Wilson. However, the Hockies went on a 6-2 run to bring them within two, 22-20. In the end, the ‘Canes took care of business, winning the set 25-22, after a kill by the 6-5 Redshirt Freshman Bianka Lulić.

The second set went very smoothly for Miami as they powered through the opening gates on a 16-5 run that featured an ace by Senior Yaidaliz Rosado to open the set. The Hokies were never really in the set, but they did go on a 6-0 run near the end of the set. The only unfortunate part for them was it made the score 23-15 instead of 23-9, so they still nowhere close to the Hurricanes. The ‘Canes finished things up soon after that, with a kill by Wilson to win the set 25-16.

The final set was not much better for the Hokies and started it off well leading 9-3 early off a kill by Redshirt Freshman Ariana Rodriguez. Virginia Tech never closed the gap throughout the set as the ‘Canes still led late with a 20-14 on a kill by Lulić. The set and match finished up not long after thanks to kills from Lulić, Heredia Colon, and Lopez to give the ‘Canes the 25-18 set win and the 3-0 match win to give the Hurricanes their first conference win this season and their tenth on the year. 

With the win, the ‘Canes now sit at 10-4 (1-2) and the Hokies fall to a record of 6-7 (0-3). For their next opponent, the ‘Canes will not be heading too far as they stay in the state of Virginia to face the Virginia Cavaliers (12-2; 2-1) tomorrow, October 6th, at 1:00 pm in Charlottesville, Va.

Miami soccer ties with Virginia Tech in defensive effort

Ali Campbell
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Miami soccer ties with Virginia Tech in defensive effort

In a scoreless affair that came down to the final minutes, Miami soccer made a valiant defensive effort to earn a hard-fought tie against Virginia Tech, ending in 0-0. 

Head coach Ken Masuhr commended his team for their efforts.

“Tonight was a great college soccer game,” he said. “It was competitive, it was end to end, and I am proud of the effort and commitment of our group to earn a draw. Virginia Tech is a very good team, but we limited their chances after halftime as we gained more control of the game.” 

The match saw the Hurricanes register 13 total shots, with seven on target. Miami took full control in the second half, registering 12 shots in the final 45 minutes. While the Hurricanes were unable to break through and score a goal, their defensive performance and efforts almost earned them the victory. 

The first half was a tight contest that saw both teams create few opportunities, but Miami began to find their rhythm as the contest went on. Freshman Jessica Kaye nearly provided a spark for the Hurricanes, as she was able to intercept a pass at midfield and ultimately unleash a shot on target. However, Virginia Tech goalkeeper Lauren Hargrove made a difficult save to deny the goal, and the match remained scoreless. 

Virginia Tech also had its fair share of shots on goal, but goalkeeper Claireese Foley led a superb defensive effort from the Hurricanes. Not only did Foley register a season-high six saves in the contest, but the redshirt freshman also made some key stops leading into halftime that prevented the Hokies from scoring at all.  

Miami came out of halftime with renewed energy, ready to put the Hokies under constant pressure. During the 63rd minute, Giovana Canali had a shot blocked before the ball fell to JJ Ndaw, who delivered a strike that approached the back of the net but ultimately was saved again by Hargrove. 

Almost immediately after, Canali fired a kick that was close to reaching the back of the net, but Hargrove stayed strong. 

Despite a flurry of late opportunities in the second half, Miami was unable to find the back of the net for the decisive goal. 

The Hurricanes will now focus on their next match when they host Florida Atlantic at Cobb Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 6, at 5 p.m.

Can the ‘Canes solve the Calgoritm?

Luke Sims
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Can the ‘Canes solve the Calgoritm?

What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?

That’s the age-old question. That’s what Miami fans have their hands on this week as the eighth-ranked Hurricanes fly across the country to take on a Cal team known for their stingy defense. 

Miami has been blowing opponents out, with an average margin of victory of 42 points. That can largely be attributed to a Miami offense that’s been humming to the tune of 49.4 points per game. Miami’s offense is the best in the ACC and the second-best in the entire nation when looking at yards per game with 585.6. The same offense also leads the entire nation in total passing yards and total points scored with 1,963 and 247, respectively. 

Where Miami really shines is through the air, with Heisman candidate Cam Ward running the offense, and with four legit wide receiver threats in Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George, Sam Brown, and Isaiah Horton. The tight end complement of Elijah Arroyo and Riley Williams along with a strong pass blocking offensive line makes Miami nearly impossible to defend. 

But, as Miami and the rest of the country learned last week in the dramatic Virginia Tech win, the way to make Miami stumble is by forcing turnovers. The Hokies picked Ward off twice and forced a fumble that turned into seven points for VT. Through four weeks, Ward had turned the ball over just once, against the Hokies, it was three. 

Guess who leads the FBS in interceptions? That’s right, the California Golden Bears. 

Nicknamed in the media as “The Calgoritm” Cal’s defense has picked their opponents off a whopping ten times this season, which leads the country. The Hokies defense was the best Miami had faced up to that point, and Cal’s defense will be a step up from that. 

The Cal defense is not just known for taking the ball away, they have been fantastic in limiting opponents on offense. Through Cal’s four games this season, they have not allowed an opponent to score more than 14 points. The Golden Bears lead the ACC in points allowed per game at 12.8 and are third in total defense with 287.5. 

The corner duo of Nohl Williams and Marcus Harris have combined for six interceptions with Williams standing out with four picks to lead the team. Cal has four corners who have been active in the run game and have been solid in coverage. The only team that has a chance to match up with Miami’s four-headed monster at receiver is this Cal team. 

Miami’s offense still made things happen against the Hokies, and while Cal’s defense is much better than VT’s, Ward has shown he can be special with the ball in his hands. Cal has had a week off to prepare for this game, and Miami’s heart is still probably beating fast from last week’s dramatic game altering call. 

The ‘Canes have to fly across the country to play a skilled defense, in their home stadium, with a student body that gets to host ESPN’s “College Gameday” for the first time in school history. There are traces of this being a challenging game for Miami. UM is favored in this game by -10.5 points. The ‘Canes were also favored by two scores against the Hokies. 

The Ward-led Hurricane offense has shown it can set off some fireworks and be unstoppable. The Cal defense has shown that they are not interested in allowing opposing quarterbacks to make plays and have been impossible to move the ball against. 

While it’s unknown which philosopher or scientist asked the unstoppable force and immovable object question, the entire county will find out when Miami vs Cal kicks off at 10:30 p.m. Start brewing your coffee and tea for what is sure to be a fantastic game in Berkeley, California. 

All stats and data via Miami Hurricanes, NCAA, and ESPN unless otherwise noted.

Class of 2025 four-star receiver Malachi Toney decommits from Miami

Jayden Gonzalez
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Class of 2025 four-star receiver Malachi Toney decommits from Miami

On Thursday, class of 2025 four-star wideout Malachi Toney told On3.com that he has decommitted from Miami.

The Plantation, Florida native from American Heritage originally committed to Miami in August of 2023. In September, it was reported that Toney reclassified from 2026 to 2025.

According to 247Sports, the 5-foot-10 182 pound receiver is ranked 215th nationally and as the 25th best wide receiver in the country in the class of 2025.

Toney is the son of former Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins wide receiver and return specialist Antonio Brown, who graduated from West Virginia and went undrafted in 2002.

Six games into the season, Toney leads his team in every statistical category at receiver. The American Heritage wideout has 38 catches for 585 yards and eight touchdowns in his 2024 campaign.

In his varsity career, Toney has 122 catches for 1979 yards and 24 touchdowns in 33 games for the Patriots.

With the decommitment of Toney, Miami has just one receiver commit in the 2025 class. The lone receiver is three-star Phenix City, Alabama native Daylyn Upshaw, who pledged in July of 2024. The 5-foot-11 180 pounder has 21 catches for 478 yards and 10 touchdowns in his junior season.

According to 247Sports, The `Canes class ranks 12th in the nation and best in the ACC.

Anticipation high as ‘Canes Hoops deal with a nearly brand new roster

Brendan Cafferty
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Anticipation high as ‘Canes Hoops deal with a nearly brand new roster

Two years ago, the Miami Hurricanes made it to the Final Four. Last year, the team had a losing record. Now, the ‘Canes are coming back, fully intent on making a playoff run.

In preparation for the upcoming season, head coach Jim Larrañaga spoke about the progress this new team has made during the offseason and preseason practices, and the outlook is hopeful.

Despite adding 10 new players, the team is fostering healthy competition. Speaking about transfers Kiree Huie and Lynn Kidd, Larrañaga said, “They’re always so upbeat …. I like being around guys who have a lot of energy and bring it every day.”

Larrañaga spoke this way about much of the team, highlighting the returners and seasoned veterans, like transfer Jalen Blackmon and a now healthy Nijel Pack, who will both work in at the guard position.

Filling the forward position will be transfer from East Carolina, Brandon Johnson, returner Paul Djobet  and freshman Isaiah Johnson-Arigu who Larrañaga said “shows the potential to be

an outstanding college player.”

The impact of the class of 2028 is not limited to Johnson-Arigu, as five-star guard Jalil Bethea will work in at the 1 and 2. Larrañaga says to expect “highlight dunks” from the freshman.

So, while new names are exciting, what does this mean for the team itself? How can they build chemistry in such a short time?

It’s not as simple as just practicing, it’s a process.

Larrañaga was clear, although preseason has run smoothly, there’s concern with the flow of the team once the season starts.

“The real challenge will come with their chemistry and bonding, and what they will do when the season starts.”

Matthew Cleveland, star guard who transferred to UM from Florida State last year, provided insight into the players’ perspective.

“It [the changing roster] was hard because most of them were my closest friends,” Cleveland said. “We would see each other every day, but they had to do what they thought was best for them. But I feel like staying here was what’s best for me and coach [Larrañaga] gets the best out of me, so I feel like navigating it was pretty easy with the coaches that we have.”

Blackmon reiterated this point, speaking highly of his coaches and teammates, saying it’s “been great…learning to play together.”

While positions are still up in the air, ‘Canes fans should be excitedly anticipating the season nonetheless. A combination of familiar faces and new playing styles has Larrañaga excited, and he should be. Cleveland spoke on the locker room morale, stressing the commitment of the team to one goal: winning.

“I feel like the team is very hungry, really all we talk about is just winning: how we can win and how we can get back to where this program used to be.”

A month out of the start of the season, the ‘Canes look to mold themselves into a team that lives up to expectations. If one thing is clear from Larrañaga, it’s that there are contributions coming from almost every player, and all of them are ready to help lead UM back to the top.

Midwest princess Chappell Roan faces the harsh reality of fame

Marissa Levinson
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Midwest princess Chappell Roan faces the harsh reality of fame

Chappell Roan: a name mostly unheard of until thousands of fans, 4.9 million Instagram followers and 45 million Spotify listeners later. She went from playing at small venues to performing at Coachella and Lollapalooza. 

Just as fast as her popularity grew, the personal effects of her fame intensified, and they weren’t all positive. The fiery-red-haired singer has not shied away from being vulnerable and genuine about her struggles with fame.

 Hearing your name chanted every night seems like an ego boost. However, it can begin to take a mental toll on the artist when the chants turn into harassment and stalking on the streets.

Chappell Roan is living proof that you never truly know what someone is going through. 

While she puts on a show for her audience, she is also putting up a front, disguising her battle with depression with an animated stage presence. 

The “Good Luck, Babe!”’ singer got candid in an interview with The Guardian, opening about therapy and disclosing her diagnosis with “severe depression.” As people were trying to figure out the celebrity they thought they knew, she was behind the scenes also trying to figure out herself. 

She expresses how she “didn’t think [she] had [depression] because [she’s] not actually sad.”Roan’s honest, open opinions about the abusive side of the music industry separates her from other artists. Though some appreciate her blunt, unfiltered persona, others criticize it. 

Some argue she should have known that the experiences she has described are simply the less pleasant side effects of fame and only a small price to pay for a significant salary. 

In one of her statements, Roan expressed how she “chose this career path because [she] love[s] music and art and honoring [her] inner child.” Somewhere along the way of fame, music lost its childlike innocence. 

Being undeniably talented, people eventually discovered her. She couldn’t have predicted her small crowds  growing into thousands. How was she supposed to know she was going to be one of the “lucky ones” who made it in the highly-competitive industry? 

In an Instagram post dedicated to the one year anniversary of her debut album, “The Rise & Fall of a Midwest Princess,” she writes “thank you thank you thank you for everything,” in the caption. 

A space for complaints and vulnerability is also a space for humility and gratitude for life, success and financial stability that not everyone is able to say they have. Considering many criticized her for her lack of gratitude, this statement came at the right time for her reputation. 

Roan’s honesty sparked other artists to speak out about facing similar issues themselves. Madison Beer, the “Make You Mine” singer, took to her Instagram story to explain why she doesn’t take photos with fans at hotels she is staying at, saying it, “can put [her] in danger.” 

Chappell Roan, Madison Beer and more celebrities’ pleas for privacy make waves throughout the entertainment industry and could change it for the better.

As ACC play ramps up, Cam Ward continues blazing-hot start

Elliot Farr
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As ACC play ramps up, Cam Ward continues blazing-hot start

It was an uncharacteristically tense four hours at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday night, as the No. 7 Hurricanes, led by star quarterback Cam Ward, appeared on the brink of an early upset against Virginia Tech in their Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opener. 

Miami’s winning aspirations seemed in doubt for some time, but Ward did what he has done best through these five games – put the team on his back and make a statement, in a way Miami hasn’t done since its last taste of glory in the early 2000s.

“This team probably over the last 20 years lost a game like this,” said head coach Mario Cristobal to reporters after the VT victory. “And this team found a way to win.” Ward has been the engine behind the surging ‘Canes offense through five games and counting.

To say that his start to the year is fantastic would be an understatement. 

The transfer from Washington State currently leads all quarterbacks in the nation with a whopping 18 touchdowns in five games so far, as well as averaging 356.4 yards per game and totaling 1,782 yards. That’s just 33 shy of the 1,815 yards Ole Miss’s quarterback Jaxson Dart has registered. With that, Ward has helped the ‘Canes garner the most passing yards per game nationally (392.6) with such a stellar offensive start.

Ward’s prowess has been the main focal point of Miami’s statement outings to start the year, and a bit of uncharted territory comes with it as well. This time around, Miami’s offense has scored 35+ points and registered at least 300 passing yards in each of its five games so far, while totaling 49.4 points per game on average so far. It’s no secret why the ’Canes now find themselves in the top 10 of the Associated Press rankings, and they have none other than Ward and his offense to thank. 

Compare this to the 2023 season, where the offense averaged 39 points and 506 yards of offense per game through five games, while in 2024, the ‘Canes have totaled 585.6 yards per game through this time. Such a jump from 2023 with this new-look offense is a clear indication of the impact that Ward and his offense have had on Miami’s progression under Cristobal. 

The discussion for the Heisman Trophy has already seen Ward’s name included a healthy amount of times. His main competition, such as Dart, or Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, or Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, to name a few, are certainly setting this season up for one tight race to New York. Ward’s case for the trophy at this stage of the season is as clear as day – any quarterback who keeps up at the rate he’s playing would run away with the trophy. 

Ward currently leads the nation in touchdowns and is second in quarterback rating and total yards, and  there’s still plenty of the season left for him to continue putting up dominant numbers.

COLUMN: Make voting a priority and get a vote-by-mail ballot 

Katie Karlson
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COLUMN: Make voting a priority and get a vote-by-mail ballot 

What are you doing on November 5? I doubt most of you have everything planned out, and it’s even less likely you carved out time to go to the voting booths. While 57% of people aged 18-34 say they are “extremely likely to vote,” the chances that everyone in that category makes it to the voting booth are slim.

What if you get sick? What if you don’t have a car on campus? Or how about that big organic chemistry report you’ve been procrastinating? On Election Day, other plans are bound to pop up that seem more immediate or important than traveling off campus to cast your ballot. As a student, your first job should be school. As an American, your top priority should be exercising your right to vote.   

Even if you are planning to vote in person, those registered to vote in Florida should request a vote-by-mail ballot. Vote-by-mail ballots make voting easier for busy students and don’t require leaving campus. Just as the name indicates, you can have your ballot mailed to you, vote, and then return the ballot by mail (or in person). 

USPS recommends people mail the ballot back at least one week before the polls close, or by Oct. 29. UM has both USPS and UPS on campus, so there are multiple avenues to easily submit your ballot. Both stores sell envelopes and stamps for less than $2. In Florida, the deadline to register to vote is Oct. 7. and the deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot is Oct. 24.

For many college students, this is the first presidential election that we are eligible to vote in, so I understand if you’re dead-set on having the in-person voting experience. To make voting even more accessible, Florida also offers early voting. Miami-Dade County’s early voting period begins Oct. 21 at 7 a.m. at more than 30 locations in the area. 

Even though voting in person seems super doable, request a vote-by-mail ballot anyway! If you bring your vote-by-mail ballot to the polls, marked or unmarked, you can turn it in and vote at the booth like normal. 

For students registered to vote out-of-state, request an absentee ballot for the state you’re registered in. Students can find more information about absentee voting at Vote.org and the National Association of Secretaries of State. Due dates for absentee applications are state-dependent, so be sure to submit forms accordingly. 

In an election predicted to be very close, your vote matters. It’s better to plan for the unexpected than to leave yourself in a lurch: ballotless, unable to get to a voting booth and not participating in our democracy. 

No. 8 Miami heads to the West Coast for late night ACC clash against Cal

Jayden Gonzalez
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No. 8 Miami heads to the West Coast for late night ACC clash against Cal

Still reeling off a wild finish on Friday at Hard Rock Stadium against the Virginia Tech Hokies, the eighth ranked Miami Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0 ACC) travel across the country to face the California Golden Bears (3-1, 0-1 ACC).

Cal is coming off a bye week, but suffered their first loss of the season just a week prior to the 1-3 Florida State Seminoles. Against the Seminoles, the Golden Bears tallied 410 yards but were held to just nine points in the loss. The Golden Bears are led by Miami native and Columbus high school alum Fernando Mendoza. The redshirt sophomore quarterback has thrown for 892 yards and five touchdowns, while throwing two interceptions at a 67 percent completion percentage.

The defense has been a strong point for UC Berkeley this season, playing an important role in their strong start to the season. The Golden Bears allow 12.8 points, good enough for 12th in the nation. One of those contributors for California is UNLV transfer defensive back Nohl Williams. The fifth year senior from Oxford, California has been among the best defensive players in the ACC, leading the conference in interceptions with four.

Miami will need Washington State transfer quarterback Cam Ward to play at a high level in order for UM to secure this victory this weekend. Despite coming up big on several occasions against Virginia Tech, Ward struggled at times, committing three turnovers in the process. So far this season, Ward is still playing at the level of a Heisman quarterback. In five games this season, the fifth-year senior has completed 70.2 percent of his throws for 1782 yards while tallying 20 total touchdowns to four interceptions.

The Hurricanes are also looking forward to getting a key defensive reinforcement back this weekend.

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said on The Joe Rose Show Tuesday that sophomore defensive end Reuben Bain Jr is available for Saturday’s game. Cristobal is excited for what the 2023 ACC Rookie of the Year can provide for the defense.

“We know what kind of player he is,” Cristobal told reporters. “We’re excited and I know he’s excited.”

Cristobal also said that starting left tackle Jalen Rivers will be a game-time decision for the California game.

Against Virginia Tech, the `Canes made too many mistakes that nearly came back to haunt them by the end of the game. 

In order to avoid an upset this week, the Hurricanes will need better performances from all around. On Friday, the UM offense committed two turnovers in the red zone and the defense allowed Virginia Tech to run for 206 yards and two touchdowns.

Cristobal admitted on Tuesday that the team needs to do a better job of fixing things to continue their winning ways.

“The effort was really really good but the details were lacking, ” Cristobal said to reporters. “We as an entire organization and program have to do a better job making sure that we tighten things up to perform at a higher level.”

This will be the fifth meeting all-time between the two programs, with the most recent matchup being in 2008. The last time these two schools met, Cal won 24-17. Both teams have won two games a piece in the all-time series.

The Golden Bears host the `Canes in their ACC home opener, which will also be the site for ESPN’s College Gameday. Cal’s appearance on College Gameday will be the first in the program’s history.

Kickoff at the California Memorial Field in Berkeley, California is set for 10:30 p.m. EST and will air on ESPN.

A look into the rest of the Miami Hurricanes 2024 football schedule

McKenzie Eason
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A look into the rest of the Miami Hurricanes 2024 football schedule

The Miami Hurricanes have garnered national attention early in the college football season, echoing the excitement surrounding the 2001 National Championship team. The ‘Canes are off to a strong start, currently ranked number eight in the AP Poll with a record of 5-0.

Following their season opening win in Gainesville against the University of Florida, discussions about the Hurricanes’ potential for a successful season and a playoff appearance began to surface. After four weeks, many analysts are considering Miami a contender for the national championship.

After decisively defeating an SEC opponent on the road, the Hurricanes have gained a confidence that has propelled them to their current 5-0 record.

In addition to the UF game, Miami has also excelled against Florida A&M, Ball State, and USF, with two of those victories being blowouts. The Hurricanes defeated Florida A&M 56-9 and Ball State 62-0. While the USF game was closer, the ‘Canes pulled away in the second half to beat the Bulls 50-15 in Tampa, Florida. Miami was on the winning side of a controversial call against VT, but remains undefeated. 

Let’s take a look at their remaining schedule for the regular season.

Vs. University of California, Berkeley, Oct. 5

The Hurricanes will travel across the country to face Cal on October 5. It’s important to note that last season, when Ward was with the Washington State Cougars, the Bears defeated them at Berkeley, 42-39. The Bears will be coming off a bye week, giving them extra time to prepare for the ‘Canes after starting their season 3-1. Cal opened conference play with a loss against Florida State, 14-9. 

Vs. Louisville, Oct. 19

Louisville stands out on the Hurricanes’ schedule this season. After opening ACC play with a win over Georgia Tech, Louisville is currently ranked 22nd in the nation, making them the highest ranked team the Hurricanes will play, as of now. Sixth year senior quarterback Tyler Shough leads the Cardinals with 1,114 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and only one interception. Shough has been a key to the Cardinals strong start and will pose a serious threat to the ‘Canes defense. 

Vs. Florida State University, Oct. 26

The Hurricanes will face FSU during Miami’s Homecoming Weekend. As excited as everyone gets for homecoming, this game in particular stirs up enthusiasm among fans due to the long-standing rivalry between the two schools. FSU leads the overall series 35-33, and the teams are tied 3-3 in their last six matchups. Last season, FSU defeated Miami, 20-27. Despite their successful run, the Hurricanes are a different team this year, while FSU has suffered significant losses to Memphis, Georgia Tech, and Boston College, setting the Hurricanes up for a triumphant homecoming game. 

Vs. Duke University, Nov. 2
The last time the Hurricanes faced the Blue Devils was in October 2022, at Hard Rock Stadium, resulting in a significant loss of 45-21. For the first time in 30 years, Duke has begun a football season undefeated, 5-0. Although ranked below the Hurricanes, Duke could be college football’s “biggest surprise.” Key player, senior running back Star Thomas, is averaging 4.8 rushing yards per carry, which could pose a threat to Miami’s defensive line.  

Vs. Georgia Tech, Nov. 9
After narrowly losing to Georgia Tech last October, the Miami Hurricanes will seek revenge this season. The Yellow Jackets currently have a 3-2 record, and their stud safety Clayton Powell-Lee  is a key concern for the Hurricanes. He has recorded 120 stops and 13 broken-up passes over the past two years. Georgia Tech struggles significantly with turning the ball over, which contributes to their losses.

Vs. Wake Forest, Nov. 23
At the bottom of the ACC, Wake Forest has a record of 1-2 so far this season, with losses to Ole Miss and Virginia, and a victory over NC A&T. While Wake Forest may not pose a serious threat to Miami at the moment, it is still early in the season. Despite the odds being against them, one key player for the Hurricanes to watch is Jasheen Davis, a pass rusher who recorded 7.5 sacks and 17 tackles last season. 

Vs. Syracuse, Nov. 30
Syracuse enters conference play with a 2-1 record. A standout player for Syracuse is quarterback Kyle McCord, who finished the game against Georgia Tech with 350 passing yards and four touchdowns. If the Hurricanes can secure a victory against Syracuse at the end of conference play, it will provide a significant confidence boost heading into the playoffs.

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